A man has been jailed in Leeds for supplying firearms to organised crime groups across the UK.
Michael Derrane, 50, sold firearms and multiple kilos of class A and B drugs on to criminals for profit until he was caught as part of National Crime Agency (NCA) investigation Operation Venetic. Officers found evidence in encrypted messages on EncroChat that showed Derrane, from Morpeth, was well known to organised crime groups across the country, including in Leeds.
Derrane would travel up to 700 miles to exchange illegal goods. One series of messages saw him discuss the sale of 30kg of heroin to be split between three locations.
